This invention generally relates to reclining seats and, particularly to a novel locking and positioning apparatus capable of retaining the back members of such seats in an infinite number of inclined positions.
Reclining seats are widely used in airplanes, railway cars, automobiles, vans, buses, and the like. Many types of structures for positioning the backs of reclining seats have been produced and examples are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,595,240; 2,662,585; 3,271,071; 3,383,135; 3,893,730 and 3,419,306.
Typically, the structures illustrated in the above-mentioned patents include a pair of elongate members slidably arranged in telescopic relation for movement between extended and retracted positions with respect to each other, and one or more friction washers capable of frictional engagement with one of the members for restraining the associated member against relative movement. The washer arrangement may be moved to an unlocking position, permitting free relative movement between the associated members. The friction washers are normally biased to the locking position, and are typically released by a cam selectively operable to move the washers to the unlocking position against the biasing action of an associated spring. Conventionally, the friction washers are mounted on a fulcrum member, and biased to tilt about the fulcrum member to the locking position. The structure of these prior art devices is typically, rather complex, and costly to produce. Further, these devices have means for locking the telescopic members together in one direction of movement while permitting the members to relative to each other in the opposite direction of movement. Accordingly, these devices lack the necessary structures which are required to satisfy the commercial application of their intended use.